What You Need To Know About Freezing Your Eggs

Society reminds us time and again that we need to have a baby in our early twenties. It is the time our eggs are most fertile and is the best time to start a family. Even so, most women are reluctant to start a family when they are that young. The reasons for the wait may vary - not being mentally prepared to start a family, wanting to focus on your career and/or not knowing your husband well enough (in case of arranged marriages).

Today, we see a lot of career-oriented women around us. Women have now proven themselves to be equally involved with their careers. By the time we are able to stand on our own feet, we would be 25+. A woman’s eggs, however, begin to lose the ability to make a baby. This doesn’t happen to men - only women seem to have a ticking clock when it comes to having a baby.

This doesn’t mean that women above 25 don’t want to have a family. It just means that they may want to start a family a little later.

What Is The Best Age To Freeze Your Eggs?

The best time to freeze your eggs is now. The earlier you freeze them, the healthier they will be. If you are in your thirties and want to wait a year or two before having a baby, freeze your eggs now. If you are in your twenties and aren’t sure when you will want to have a baby, freeze your eggs now.

For most women, the ideal age to freeze the eggs is between 28-35 years. It can vary between women since no two women are the same. You can ask your doctor for advice on when you should freeze them. If your eggs are healthy enough, you might be able to wait a year or two. If not, you should consider freezing your eggs right away.

How Does This Process of Egg-Freezing Work?

Now before going off and freezing your eggs, you may want to know the process. That way you’ll be prepared as to what you should expect.

1. The first step would be to test the quality and quantity of the eggs that you have. You would have to undergo a number of blood tests and ultrasounds for this.

2. Next, you will be given daily doses of a hormone - FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) - which will produce multiple eggs for revival. These hormone injections can cause side effects like sore breasts, bloating and sore ovaries.

3. This process continues for about 10 days. You will have to take a number of ultrasounds to determine if the eggs are ready for retrieval.

4. The actual process of retrieving the eggs takes about 10 minutes. It is similar to the way they draw blood. A needle would be inserted about half an inch into the vaginal wall and ovaries.

How Much Would It Cost?

The reason many people don’t opt for freezing their eggs is that it is on the expensive side. The procedure to retrieve the eggs alone costs anywhere between 2-4 lacs. The storage costs would again be another 10-20 thousand rupees. So if you are thinking of freezing your eggs, you would have to plan it out carefully.